Synthesis of Electroconducting Hydroxy-Sodalite/Graphite Composite: Preparation and Characterization

Electroconductive hydroxy-sodalite/graphite composites were synthesized by alkali-activation of kaolinite in the presence of sodium hydroxide as the alkali activator and graphite as a conductive filler. Thermal, morphological and microstructural properties in addition to direct current (D.C.) conductivity of the prepared composites were investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflection mode (FTIR/ATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive using X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) and DC conductivity measurements were used to characterize the prepared composites. The effect of the hydroxyl-sodalite-to-graphite and NaOH-to-kaolinite ratios on the electrical conductivity was investigated and evaluated on the generated composite specimens made of Jordanian kaolinite or pure kaolinite. It was demonstrated that increasing the mass ratio of graphite-to-kaolinite in the clay-based composites increased the electrical conductivity of the resultant composites. It was also observed that using 1:1 graphite-to-pure kaolinite mass ratio showed the best electrical conductivity value of 3 × 10-3 s/cm, among the other mass ratios used for pure kaolinite specimens, while using 1:1 mass ratio of graphite-to-Jordanian kaolinite showed a conductivity of 1.6 s/cm.